This is a follow-up to a previous post where I hinted at a Sterling model with a lower price tag. I now have the full scoop from Paul at Sterling. We were concerned that some people may be ruling out Sterling because they feel they can not afford the high price. So Paul has tweaked the way the horns are priced.
As you may know, Sterling offers many options. But some of these were rolled into the list price and the horn was sold that way as a standard model. Now Paul has configured a more basic model as a starting point, which helps it be more affordable. The base model is somewhat comparable to many of the horns that people feel are more affordable. For example, the base model will have a 12" yellow brass bell, no trigger, and no gold trim. This makes it more like a Besson 967, Willson, Yamaha 642, etc. But you will still enjoy many of the Sterling qualities. Intonation and response, for example, should be the same as the "tricked-out" model I play. My preference is for the heavier red-brass bell, but that is not what the competitive horns come with, and there are many players who prefer the sound of the regular bell anyway.
It looks like Paul has come up with a good way to handle the line-up. I don't yet have the base price from Custom Music for the USA market, but it should be easier on the pocket book!